Toy steam irons



Nov. 25, 1958 M. L. BLOCK TOY- STEAM IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1957 lll 151 INVENTOR Maya/l. 310M:

avfiW 4? ATTORNEY Nov. 25, 1958 M. BLOCK TOY STEAM IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1957 INVENTOR My rfifilor BY WWM ATTORNEY United. St Paten TOY STEAM IRONS Meyer L. Block, Port Washington, N ,Y., assignor to Nassau Products Corporation, Troy N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 2, 1957, Serial No. 669,633 i 7 Claims. (21. sis-77 The present invention relates to steam irons in general, and more particularly to a toy steam iron.

An object of the invention is to provide a toy article connectable with a source of electrical energy to produce steam, which may be safely used by children.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy steam iron so constructed that the sole plate is only indirectly heated to a controllable extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide an article of the above character in which the steam production may be interrupted without interrupting the electric circuit.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a toy steam iron so constructed that the steam production need not be interrupted as long as even very small quantities of water are present in it water container.

A still further and more specific object of the invention is to provide in a toy steam iron a combined water tank and steam chamber of such construction and so mounted in the device that the generation of steam and the heat transfer to sole plate may be effectively controlled at all times.

A yet furthert specific object of the invention is to provide a safety device which releases excess steam, and also toprovide a path for escape of excess water from the steam iron.

The invention resides in the provision, in a housing of known construction and design, of a combined water container and steam generating chamber associated with electrodes so mounted therein that the water, during normal, use of the toy device, is led to the electrodes and steam is generated to heat the walls of the water container and by heat transfer also the adjacent sole plate to the extent depending on the distance between sole plate and the adjacent wall of the water container. The container is so constructed that excess water may escape through the steam ports in the sole plate indicating to the user that the water tank is filled. It consists of a pair of superposed communicaing chambers of which the lower one serves as water tank and receptacle for electrodes, and the upper one as a stem collector in communication with the steam escape opening or openings in the sole plate.

Certain other features, advantages and attributes of the novel article will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description of an embodiment selected for illustration in the accompanying drawing, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through the toy steam iron in position for use;

Fig. 2 is a partial section of the iron in such position in which the generation of steam is interrupted;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the water and steam container;

Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the container;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the upper chamber of the container, taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section through the lower chamber of the.

container along line 6-6 in Fig. 2, with the electrodes removed;

Fig. 7 is a vew of the sole plate; and

Fig. 8 is a partial perspective view of the interior of sole plate and of the supporting bridge for the container.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, the steam iron 10 includes a handle 11, a housing 12 with a sole plate 13, a filler cap 14 and a cable 15 by means of which the iron may be connected with a supply of electric current (not shown). The particular shape of members 11, 12 and 13 and the manner in which they are connected form no part of this invention. They are preferably miniature replicas of a steam iron of commercial size which adds to the attractiveness of toy article 10 and adds to the users ilillusion that the steam iron has all the attributes of that used by grownups.

The handle 11 may be made of a colored plastic, the housing 12 may be chromium plated, and the filler cap 14 of a different color, if so desired.

The combined water tank and steam generating and storage device, generally designated by numeral 16, is shown in full detail in Figs. 3 to 6. It has a Water inlet port 17 usually closed by cap 14, and a steam escape aperture 18 defined by an annular projection 19 received in the opening 20 at the front end of sole plate 13. The inlet port 17 is within an upwardly projecting annular portion 21 received in the opening 22 of housing 12. The rear end of the container 16 is provided with a lip 23 having an opening 24 to receive a bolt 25 extending through a registering opening 27 in a metallic bridge 26 which is supported by the sole plate 13. Nut 28 with interposed washer 29 holds the bottom wall 30 of container 16 in a selected position with respect to sole plate 13. It will be understood that, by varying the thickness or the number of washers 29, the distance between sole plate 13 and wall 30 may be varied to control the heat exchange between elements 13 and 16. Also, washer 29 may be of resilient material to avoid interchange when the position of wall 30 with respect to the sole plate should be changed.

The container 16 includes an upper chamber 31 and a lower chamber 32 which are separated by an inclined wall 33 with one, two (as shown) or more openings 34 therein. The upper chamber is in communication with the port 17 and with aperture 18 through a substantially vertical channel 35.

The front end 30a of bottom wall 30 is somewhat inclined (see Figs. 1 and 2) so that any liquid in chamber 32 will flow toward electrodes 36, 37 received in the rear end of said chamber, as is best shown in broken lines in Fig. 3. The electrodes may be of carbonand are held in desired position by a pair of metallic conductors 38, 39, respectively, threaded into the wall 40 of container 16. Terminals 15a, 15b of cable 15 are fastened to conductors 38, 39 by means of respective nuts 41, 42. It is preferred to maintain electrodes 36, 37 in the position shown in either of Figs. 1 to 3, that is, slightly spaced from the surrounding walls of container 16 and from one another, whereby each of their surfaces is surrounded by and incontact with the liquid'for greater steam generation. Steam passes through the liquid in lower container 32, through openings 34 into the upper chamber 31, and through the channel 35 into and through the opening 18.

To interrupt the steam generation, the steam iron 10 is simply tilted for about degrees into the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the water is entrapped in the lower chamber 32 between walls 300 and 33 below the openings 34. It is advisable to provide openings 34 close to electrodes 36, 37 in order to increase the volume of water pocket in the lower chamber 32 when the steam iron is tilted. Obviously, steam generation may be interrupted in another manner, for example, by disconnecting the cable 15 from its wall outlet, or by providing a switch in the handle 11. However, by simply tilting the iron, steam production is interrupted without requiring any manipulation by the other hand of a user.

The container 16 is made of insulating, heat resistant plastic material. It is heated by escaping steam whiie the latter passes from electrodes 36, 37 through lower chamber 32, the upper chamber 31 and channel 35,, and communicates the heat to the soleplate 13 to the extent controlled, as before stated, by the position of walls 30, 3041 with respect to the sole plate.

Filler cap 14 is connected to the housing 12 by means ofv a short chain d3. It includes an axial pin 44 carrying a rubber sleeve 45 frictionally received in the inlet port 17 within the upwardly extending neck 21 of container 16. When the steam iron is placed on an ironing board to close the opening 18, and the pressure of steam in chamber 31 rises sufficiently to overcome frictional forces between the rubber sleeve 45 and the surrounding walls of neck portion 21, the cap 14 is ejected to warn the user and to provide an opening for escape of steam.

Rubber washers 46 adjacent the opening in sole plate 13, and 47 resting against a shoulder on the neck portion 21 of container 16, resiliently support the container in housing 12 and prevent any damage to the former if the toy device is accidentally dropped by the user. A gasket 48 of fibre or the like is firmly fastened to cable 15 inside the housing 12 to prevent undue tension on terminals 15a, 15b when the cable is pulled. A rubher washer 49 surrounds the cable within an opening in the handle 11. If the handle is accidentally broken, it may be replaced without disconnecting any parts within the housing 12.

Water may be poured into container 16, and more particularly into lower chamber 32 thereof, upon removal of cap 14. It is advisable to provide instructions for the user as to the amounts of water to be filled into the steam iron. However, if such instructions are not observed, excess water will simply flow through channel and aperture 18 until a desirable level is reached in container 16. Any water that enters the housing 12 may be drained off through openings 50 at the rear end of sole plate 13 (see Fig. 7).

The advantages of the novel toy device are in that the sole plate may be heated to a controlled extent by the proper selection of distance between the walls 30, 30a and sole plate; in that the steam generation is practically instantaneous since all surfaces of electrodes 36, 37 come into contact with the surrounding liquid; in that the steam generation may be interrupted by simply tilting the toy device; and in the specific configuration of container 16 to provide a relatively long path for escaping steam, whereby the storage compartment 16 is sufficiently heated and may transfer some of its heat to the sole plate. Also, the simple and reliable safety device, as well as the provision for replacement of handle 11 without disassembling other elements are important advantages in a toy device of such character.

It will be understood that modifications in shape, size and material of certain parts will readily occur to persons skilled in the art within the broad purview of this invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to 4. any specific details of the device as shown and described, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy steam iron having a handle, a housing and a sole plate at the underside of said housing, said sole plate having at least one opening for escape of steam therethrough, the combination of a unitary water and steam container, said container being mounted within said housing and having a lower chamber and an upper chamber in communication with said lower chamber, said lower chamber having a bottom. wall normally slightly spaced from said sole plate, means for adjustably maintaining said bottom wall in a selected position with respect to said sole plate whereby to control the heat transfer therebetween, said upper chamber having a port through which water may be poured into said container and an outlet for steam terminating in said opening in said sole plate, a pair of electrodes in said lower chamber, and electrical conductors connected with said electrodes and extending from, said steam. iron.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said bottom wall of said lower chamber is at least partially inclined with respect to said sole plate and said electrodes are provided at the lowermost end in said lower chamber,

whereby any water in said lower chamber is in contact with said electrodes when said steam iron is resting on said sole. plate.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said electrodes are slightly spaced from one another and from the surrounding walls of said container defining said lower chamber.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said lower chamber has a first end and a second end and said electrodes are disposed therein adjacent to said first end thereof, said lower chamber communicating with said upper chamber at a point intermediate said second end and said electrodes and closer to the latter whereby the water is entrapped between said second end and said point in said lower chamber when said steam iron is inclined into a position to raise said electrodes.

5. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means for adjustably maintaining said bottom wall of said lower chamber in a selected position with respect to said sole. plate includes a bridge member connected to said sole plate within said housing, a lip integral with said container, and means for releasably connecting said lip with said bridge member.

6. The combination according to claim 5, further comprising means interposed between said lip and said bridge member for varying the distanceof the bottom wall. of said lower chamber from said sole plate.

7. The combination according to claim 1, further including resilient means between said sole plate and a portion of said container and between said container and said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,875 Izumiya Nov. 10, 1931 2,456,490 Busch et al Dec. 14, 1948 2,501,028 Charland Mar. 21, 1950 2,512,054 Dafforn et al. June 20, 1950 2,662,316 Johnson Dec. 15, 1953 2,666,998. Dafiorn et a1. Jan. 26, 1954 2,700,236 Marvin et a l Jan. 25, 1955 2,708,801 Voskresenski May 24, 1955 

